i won't even wish for snow
by AlannasTara
Summary: "Their little unit had grown closer over the cold, winter months on the road. If she was being honest with herself, she could never have predicted they would cling to one another so, and bond as they had, but she wouldn't trade it for the world." Caryl. S2/3 interlude. Sophia!Lives AU. With T-Dog goodness. Holiday fluff.


The faint crackling of the dying fire popping in the stillness — all that remained to signify warmth in the frigid night air. Scuffling noises muffled in the dirt as they made to scoot closer together, to conserve heat between them and protect the youngest and most vulnerable among them.

Carol peered across the top of the small strawberry blonde head laying next to her to the gentle giant protecting her daughter's back. T-Dog lay with his back to Sophia, his warmth seeping into her tiny, cold limbs. Carol placed one hand over her face, trying to thaw the frozen tip of her own nose, and curled herself up into a ball, wrapping her other arm around her daughter and drawing into her.

She felt movement behind her and the corner of another blanket swung over her and Sophia. Daryl always stretched out his blankets to cover them as much as possible. He turned his back to Carol's scooting up against her as far as he could get, and she felt his body relax as his breathing grew more steady, slumber pulling at him until his soft, snuffling snores sounded behind her.

Their little unit had grown closer over the cold, winter months on the road. If she was being honest with herself, she could never have predicted they would cling to one another so, and bond as they had, but she wouldn't trade it for the world.

* * *

" _Sophia. The bus is coming, please hurry." Carol called out to her daughter, while standing in the doorway, holding the screen door open to flag the driver down._

" _Coming, Mama. Have you seen Annie?" Sophia scrambled down the stairs, steps thumping as her little sneakers pounded each step._

" _Not since breakfast, baby. But you don't have time to look for her now. The bus is stopping." Carol waved to the driver as Sophia stopped and stood on her tiptoes to give Carol a sticky, sloppy kiss on the cheek, as only an 8 year could._

" _Bye Mama. Love you."_

" _Love you too, baby girl. Be good for Mr. Douglas, okay? And sit still on the bus," she called out as Sophia ran across the yard to the faded_

 _white church bus that was stopped in front of the house, with dozens of kids all but hanging out the windows._

" _Don't worry Mrs. P. Sophia's a regular angel," Theodore Douglas, the bus driver for the church's summer kids camp, called out to Carol. "Have her back in time for supper!" He waved and closed the bus door, waiting until all were back in their seats before pulling away._

* * *

"Ya reckon it's almost Christmas?" Daryl asked T-Dog as they crouched behind some trees, Daryl peering down in the dirt for animal tracks.

"Could be. Can't really tell. You?"

"I think so. Night's gettin' longer, days shorter." Daryl shrugged, his knees popping and cracking as he stood up.

"Hmmm." T-Dog looked down, but not at the tracks. Wheels were turning in his head as he thought about what Daryl said. "Don't suppose you know of any stores or malls around, do you?"

Daryl side-eyed him, snorting as he turned to follow some invisible sign or track that T-Dog didn't recognize.

"Pfft, you know as well as I do, places that public are nothing but a death trap nowadays. You remember Atlanta."

T-dog winced as the memory of that last fated trip flitted before his mind's eye.

"Yeah man, don't ever think I'll forget that. Just…," He followed behind Daryl, hopping over a downed tree log. "...nevermind."

"Naw. Say what's on your mind. What is it?"

"Just was hopin' there might be some place where we could look to get something for Sophia. She deserves something nice, you know?"

Daryl considered T's words as he plod through the underbrush, racking his memory for any road signs they'd seen, and trying to visualize the map they constantly pored over.

"Hell, Ed sure never gave a shit about her before, and I know she didn't have the best holidays. I mean, Carol did what she could, bu—"

"What do you mean?" Daryl cut him off, turning around abruptly. "You knew 'em before?" Daryl asked, his voice holding a note of impatience and some disbelief.

T-Dog looked up at him, surprise in his eyes. "Yeah, I used to drive the church bus — take Sophia to church camp. Carol didn't tell you?"

Daryl turned back around and shrugged his shoulders like he was shrugging the whole matter off. "Nah. Don't matter. Just didn't know is all...I think there might be a handful of shops a couple miles back. Saw a turn off and a sign for a rest area and visitors center. They might have a gift shop. Hell, now that I think about it, we should definitely check it out. Might could hole up in one of those building for a few days."

* * *

"Cool, cool." T nodded his agreement, but his mind was already on what he could get for the little girl who'd taken up a place in his heart.

" _Mama, Mama! Look what Mr. Douglas gave me!"_

 _Sophia ran up to the porch, holding out a small object in her hand._

" _What's that, baby?" Carol took the object in her hand and held the soggy elastic string by a thumb and forefinger. "Uhhh…" Carol groaned, her nose wrinkling in distaste._

" _It's a candy necklace!" Sophia's face was lit up in excitement, clear traces of a sugar high in process, and smears of sugary powder coating her lips._

" _Well, wasn't that nice of him?" Carol waved to Mr. Douglas, ignoring his smirk as he shut the bus door. "We'll have to write him a thank you card." She ushered Sophia through the house to the dining room table, and gathered some paper and crayons for her to use._

" _Mama, did you find Annie?" Sophia's pleading gaze peered up from her scribbles and coloring to stop Carol before she made it to the kitchen to start on supper._

" _No, honey, I haven't seen her. Maybe she's in your room? You can go check before supper if you like."_

* * *

Daryl busted the plexiglass panel of the vending machine with the butt of his crossbow, while T-Dog tried to break into the soda machine. The lobby of the visitor center was empty, surprisingly, of corpses, death, and rotting stench. The rest of the group had piled into the cafeteria area and were warming up cans of food using leftover tins of Sterno.

"This place is a goldmine."

"Yep," Daryl said as he raked the chocolate bars into his backpack, knowing how much Carol loved her chocolate.

"Hey, Sophia likes those Sweetarts. Make sure you grab those." T-Dog called as he loaded the plastic crate from the kitchen with soda bottles.

"Done. You think Lori would like these Junior Mints?"

"Maybe? I'm not too sure what she likes. Been puking up so much lately."

"Yeah, that's what I mean. Peppermints s'posed to help upset stomach. I'm gonna grab 'em just in case."

Daryl finished emptying the vending machine and helped pack the last few bottles before turning to the Gift shop. "Leave that here for a sec and help me find something for Soph and Carol."

T-Dog straightened up and followed into the dimly lit room, the last of the waning daylight filtering through the grimy plate glass windows.

T-Dog grabbed a few gift bags, and studied the dolls and stuffed animals for a few minutes before picking up a couple and hiding them deep in the bottom of the gift bags.

Daryl was perusing the jewelry, examining the necklaces particularly carefully. He turned around, stuffing something in his vest pocket, just as T walked up, holding up two different scarves.

"Which d'you think Carol would like best?"

Daryl examined the two scarves, one a deep pink-red color, the other with shades of orange and pink blended together. Either one would look good on her, he thought.

"Hell, why not get her both?" Daryl shrugged. "She can't hardly keep warm anyhow, probably needs 'em both."

T nodded thoughtfully, and tossed a light blue purplish knit hat to Daryl, "For Sophia," he said as he tucked the scarves into the other gift bag.

They finished picking through the items that would be most useful for Carol and Sophia, and left the rest for the other members of the group to go through, though Daryl did grab a warm fleece vest for Lori from behind the counter before they walked out, intent on joining the others before nightfall.

* * *

" _What's wrong, baby girl?" T-Dog asked Sophia as she slowly climbed each step into the bus, and sank down onto the seat behind him next to the little boy from two streets over—Ryan. Her face was red and streaked with tears overflowing her eyes, dripping on the collar of her shirt (the ones she didn't wipe away with the back of her hand.)_

" _I c-can't f-find Annieeee," she cried, pitifully, sniffling behind her hands as she struggled to calm down._

" _Who's Annie?" Ryan asked._

 _T-Dog glanced into his rear view mirror and saw the hulking brute who was Sophia's dad, stumbling out of the house towards the lone car, yelling unintelligibly towards his house and the sad woman standing at the door, the undoubtedly cruel words lost on the breeze._

" _M-my Little l-lambbb." She sniffled again, the tears ebbing. "My mamaw got her for me for my birthday._

" _Okay, sweetheart, don't cry," T said, trying to console the little girl. "She'll turn up. I'm sure. Kay?"_

" _Uh huh." She wiped her face again and turned to Ryan. "Where's Sara?"_

" _She's sick. My momma said she's gots a feber." Ryan looked down at his hands, biting his lower lip to keep it from wobbling. "She's real hot, my momma said, so my dad hasta keep the baby Jo-Jo, so momma can takes her to the hop-hopspital."_

" _Awhhh, I'm sorry Ryan. I'm sure she's gonna be okay." Sophia put her arm around the little boy, and gave him a half hug. She dug into her pocket and pulled out a couple of blue Sweettarts. "Do you wanna piece of candy? I like the blues the best. My mama saves me all the blues and she eats the rest. But you can have a blue if you want one."_

 _Sophia held out her hand and the little boy took the piece of candy from her, smiling a watery smile up at her._

" _Fanks Soffee." He said, his mouth twisting up as the tartness of the treat hit his tastebuds._

" _You're welcome."_

* * *

They decided to celebrate Christmas that evening. Part of it was seeking some sense of normalcy, and part of it was just wanting to give the kids something to enjoy.

They were gathered around in a circle, listening to Hershel read the story of the baby Jesus from the Bible he took from the Gift Shop, which Daryl thought was just a little bit ironic, but he wasn't going to ruin anyone's fun by pointing it out.

Beth sang a few carols and hymns, and the others joined in as they knew the words. Most of them escaped Daryl, as he'd never had the kind of wholesome Family Christmases everyone else seemed to have.

Sophia and Carl took turns belting out Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer until Rick shushed them so they wouldn't attract walkers.

Then it was unanimously decided time to exchange gifts (most of the "gifts" being stuff they found in the gift shop that could also be considered necessities.)

Hershel gave Beth a leather bound journal with some pastel colored gel pens; Glenn gave Maggie a bottle of cucumber scented lotion (and a box of condoms that he gave to her when Hershel wasn't looking); Rick stood back as Lori presented Carl with a sharp looking knife and sheath, trying to get over her aversion to the boy having weapons.

When it was time for their little family to exchange gifts, they piled their presents to Sophia in front of her and let her go first. She squealed over her knit hat, putting it on right away, and admiring the little mouse ears that were sewn on, which Daryl hadn't noticed earlier. She admired the matching gloves and scarf and wrapped herself up in it right away.

"Look! I'm Mama!" she exclaimed, to the delight of Carol and Lori.

Daryl motioned Carol over to his side while the others were enthralled with Sophia's antics.

"Gotcha somethin'," he said, sticking his hand in his vest pocket. "Ain't much, ain't real practical neither, but—"

"I'm sure I'll love it," Carol interrupted, placing her hand over his. "Whatever it is."

Daryl turned her hand over and flipped his open, allowing the gift to fall into her palm.

She looked down and in her palm was a gleaming gold chain shining in the candlelight, and three delicate charms hanging from the tiny pendant. She glanced up at Daryl but he was looking at the floor, his ears blood red, and his cheeks flushed. Turning her attention back to the necklace, she examined the charms: one was engraved with a script that simply read, "Mom"; one was a tiny flower with five petals (her eyes immediately welled up with tears); and the third charm was a heart. She turned it over in her hands and on the back in what looked to be a crude scratching against the metal's surface was the initials "C + D".

Her breath caught and she looked at him again, this time catching his eye. Bald hope was written there in his gaze and a vulnerability she'd never seen quite as plainly displayed on his face as it was right now.

She took a quick peek to make sure no one was paying attention to them and leaned forward, placing a quick chaste kiss to his cheek. His skin was flushed already and the heat from his blush burned her lips, searing the memory into her flesh.

"Thank you," she whispered, just barely mouthing the words against his ear, where no one could hear them. "Help me put it on?"

She turned and nonchalantly sat facing the others while he fumbled the clasp, eventually fastening the chain around her neck. He couldn't help himself, and placed the smallest kiss to the nape of her neck—a brush of his lips so feather light it felt as if she'd been kissed by a butterfly's wings. A shiver ran down her spine, and she gave him a shy smile over her shoulder.

"Last present. Here ya go, little miss." T-Dog handed Sophia the gift bag he'd been hiding behind his leg.

She pulled out the tissue paper (they'd found it alongside the gift bags and thought it might come in handy for things besides gift giving) and dug down into the bag.

Out she pulled a stuffed animal — a little lamb.

" _Annie_! Mama! Look! It's just like _Annie_!"

Sophia started crying, she was so overwhelmed, clutching the lamb to her chest and nuzzling her cheek into the soft woolly material.

Carol looked up at T-Dog and smiled at him, all her gratitude and love in her eyes. "Thank you _,"_ she mouthed to him. _For giving my little girl the best Christmas she's ever had._

He smiled back before turning his attention to the little girl sitting in front of him. Seeing the joy on her face was the best present he'd ever been gifted.


End file.
